Hello everyone! Wow, it's been two years (sorry!). As I mentioned in the last update of Daughter of the Huntsclan, I intend to wrap up these stories very shortly so it has a proper ending. I am so sorry for the horrible wait, but thank you so much to everyone who continues to read! Enjoy!!!
11:43 PM November 1, 2009
Two Years. It's been two bloody years since Huntsgirl disappeared after that blasted mission. Of course I blame myself but what am I to do? Life had to move on. I had to return to the Academy for a year of teaching. 88 and 89 remained in the field but under a different Huntsmaster. This Huntsmaster, however, has to be the worst one I've ever seen. He does not even come close to the American Dragon, and whenever confrontation is present, someone gets injured. Once I finished my year of service, I was permitted back into the field, but only in Texas where little happens. Apparently, the dragons in Texas have a huge ego, but they have no reason to be quite as pompous. I kill more on my own than I did as a young adult as part of a hunting squad. I have been given a new apprentice. Another young girl. She is fifteen and feisty – I suppose the Huntscouncil sees this arrangement as the best for me. Hopefully I will not let this one down the way I did Huntsgirl. There was a horrible strain between the two of us for the first month. She had heard the stories and rumors of how I had killed Huntsgirl with my ignorance. But after a while, we learned to trust one another – but she makes no Huntsgirl.
There is no time for 'what-if' and 'if only.' When Huntsgirl disappeared part of the Huntsclan died with her. I could hope for her return, but what are the chances of that? Who would she have run to? I must look at the situation realistically. The dragons must have found her. She is gone. If the dragons had any intention of returning her, we would have been told by now. I want to find her again, don't get me wrong, but it has been forbidden. No one is to make any step in finding her whatsoever – and I understand the reasons. The Huntscouncil does not want any more funding to be wasted on a seemingly lost cause. More importantly, they do not wish for any more casualties.
Cassie – that is the girl's name who is my new apprentice. Her number is seventeen. She was ranked seventy two in her class of three-hundred. She knew Huntsgirl and even shared a class with her once. Our communication is strictly business related and any personal needs she requires, I have her handle herself. Our last inspection rated am 8.9 – rather a high mark for my standings in the Huntsclan. The Huntscouncil must finally recognize my efforts towards our common goal. With less aggressive dragons, also, our lair is kept tidier and there is more time to keep it that way. I put #17 through rigorous training sessions every morning before the tutor comes to home school her. The Huntscouncil determined there were dragons present in the schools we were sending out apprentices to, and the possibility of leaking secrets was too probable. The tutor is not Huntsclan related, but a local teacher who is in need of extra profits.
When she was young, I told Huntsgirl if she was ever missing, I would hang a blue light from the porch door to tell her it was safe to come home. If we moved, she would have to hunt down the blue light. I still hang that light from the porch – not our of obsessive ideas of her return, but from the promise I made. Perhaps – just maybe – she's out there, looking for the blue light – looking for us.
